In its latest appointment ahead of completing the £12.5bn acquisition of mobile operator EE, UK incumbent BT has named a successor to Clive Selley, who was last week named chief of controversial network division Openreach.
Howard Watson has a background integrating fixed and mobile networks, and is credited with the technical launch of success story BT Sport.
BT (LSE:BT) has named Howard Watson as group chief information officer and CEO of BT Technology, Service and Operations (BT TSO). Currently BT’s chief architect and MD of global IT platforms, Watson will replace Clive Selley who will become CEO of infrastructure division Openreach this quarter.
Crediting Watson with the launch of BT Sport in August 2013, BT said he had shown “technical and operational leadership with expertise in engineering, strategic development and business transformation,” as well as “experience integrating networks from his time in the cable industry, experience that will prove useful as BT integrates its network with EE’s.”
According to BT CEO Gavin Patterson, “fixed-mobile convergence is an important trend and Howard will help consumers and businesses take advantage of it”.
Watson joined BT in 2011 from Cartesian, a telecoms software and consultancy company where he was managing director. Prior to that, he was chief technology and information officer at Telewest and chief of transformation and technology at Virgin Media.
BT TSO, which manages the company’s internal and external platforms, including TV, mobile and conferencing, employs 12,000 staff and 8,000 contractors.